CHAPTER I – THE VISITS
Hermione received an offer every year, without fail.
The amount of declines she had sent to them with varying excuses to avoid them held no bearing. They continued to send her the same invitation: an induction for an institution for the brightest minds the world has to offer – a presentation showcasing a prestigious school located in the ancient capital of Italy – generously giving a chance for young magical beings of all kinds to be a part of something much bigger than their own countries.
It was no surprise Hermione was thrilled to receive such a summons, humbly honoured to be considered worthy of such privilege. With every year that passed, the harder it became for Hermione to quill her rejection to the representatives of the institution – this mostly being due to their seemingly increasing desire to have her attend their school.
They had begun with little offers in their annual correspondences to her – motions that steadily increased as the years flew. The last offer, the one that had arrived in the summer before her fourth-year at Hogwarts, Hermione was given the chance to attend the institution under a full scholarship, wherein all of her needs would have been taken care of under the school funds.
Unsure of the reason why they wanted her to attend so badly, Hermione remained stubborn in her decision of not attending. This was initially because she did not want her dear parents to go through the hassle of moving countries when there was a better option that did not require much travelling for her and practically none for her mum and dad.
This reason was shot out of the window the instant a representative for the Druid Institute introduced her to portkey and floo-travel back in second-year.
Nevertheless, that was also the year that Hermione had developed solid relationships with her friends at Hogwarts. They had become just another justification for her refusing to go to the Druid Institute.
One of her best friends, Harry Potter, always seemed to find himself stuck in situations where he was in mortal danger – every single year. Hermione did not know what it was about his normally quiet and somewhat shy nature that attracted trouble but all she was truly aware of was the fact that she would have to be out of her mind to even consider abandoning him – especially now that he needed as many supporters as possible.
At the end of last year, Harry had witnessed the return of Lord Voldemort and Hermione was left terrified. Any doubts in her mind about how bad the war that took Harry's parents away from him actually was were quashed the moment Cedric Diggory's dead body thudded onto the ground outside of the Triwizard Maze.
Fright did not take long to give way to anger, though. Hermione realised that she had lost a large amount of faith in the Ministry and most of those who worked there when she had begun reading the slanders against her best friend in the Daily Prophet.
Throughout the last month or so, the Minister and those who worked under him had started what seemed to be a campaign to defame Harry and Dumbledore – the two people who were most vehement about the return of the dark lord. Disgusting articles claiming Harry to be an 'attention-seeker' and Dumbledore as a 'senile old man' littered the bigoted newspaper ever since the last task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Hermione could not even begin to wonder why it was so hard for the Ministry to believe Lord Voldemort had come back. All she understood was that now that he was, their denial of the fact would become their downfall – unless there was a way to prove Harry's words.
A drawling voice pulled Hermione from her thoughts, "If you don't stop that right now, I fear I may develop a headache."
Daphne Greengrass was sat on the floor of Hermione's bedroom with a number of books and parchment laid around her – her quill scratching against the piece of summer homework she was currently working on. "I can't do my work when I can feel you thinking," she complained.
Hermione laughed sheepishly as she teased, "Have you forgotten that homework usually requires thought, darling?"
The blonde girl across from her raised one delicate eyebrow. "You're not doing your homework," Daphne reached forward and snatched the parchment that was in front of Hermione, nearly spilling the ink pot that was placed over it as a paperweight in the process. Amongst Hermione's protests, Daphne quickly glanced at the page and returned it. "If you were, you'd have written a new sentence in the last ten minutes . . . darling."
Hermione sighed at being caught out.
"What's bothering you?" Daphne asked, trying to feign a casual curiosity by continuing to look down at her parchment but the crease between her eyebrows gave an indication to her concern.
It was no longer a wonder to Hermione how she and Daphne had become such good friends. It did take some time, about a year, but their companionship was built upon the understanding of their individual mannerisms. Their friendship was natural in a way that astounded Hermione as she could never have imagined the most intelligent and comforting female friend she had would be a Slytherin. What Hermione had in common with Daphne were often what she would have expected in a Ravenclaw, and they often joked about how they could have been roommates had the Sorting Hat put them both into the houses that everyone believed they belonged in.
Hermione recalled how often she used to go to the library and research the Chamber of Secrets back in second-year. It was here that she had met Daphne – away from the rivalry of their respective houses – and got to know her as the girl whom she shared most with.
Back then, Daphne had been more emotionally closed off but, by the end of the year when Hermione had returned from being petrified in the hospital wing, Daphne had let her walls down slightly to tell Hermione she was an idiot, also informing Hermione she had much work to catch up on and offering to help her do so, which Hermione accepted as a gesture of her being missed by the Slytherin.
Hermione smiled in amusement as she answered, "What do you know about the Union of Druids?"
Daphne placed down her quill and thought for a moment before saying, "My father's told me about them. He said that they were the ones responsible for the Statute of Secrecy being instated worldwide – keeping the peace between us and the muggles."
The brunette nodded. "I remember reading about that. Quite some time ago a lot of countries had different opinions on whether or not magic should be revealed to the rest of the world so the Druids sought to end the fights before an international magical war broke out. They performed experiments on muggles, simply proving the existence of magic and recording their reactions – which were mostly negative – and then obliviating them right after. A meeting was then set up by the Druids where representatives from each country attended and were presented with the research."
Daphne hummed and continued for Hermione, "The Druids then showed their ideas for the Statute and the countries banded together, agreeing that magic was better left a secret from the muggles. From then on, the Union of Druids became known as the founders of the International Confederation. Anyways, why ask about them?"
Hermione glanced up at Daphne for a moment before she looked down at her own parchment once again, bluntly answering, "The school they run has been offering me places every year."
Daphne widened her eyes. "What!" she shrieked, "You – you've been getting offers from the Druid Institution – every year?"
"Yes," Hermione confirmed, a look of concern from the way Daphne had reacted coating her face.
"Don't get me wrong, Hermione, that's wonderful!" Daphne's smile was genuine as she said her words. Hermione regarded her best friend's blue eyes and saw them shining joyously in response to the news she had given. A long time ago, Hermione would have been surprised by the look on Daphne's face. Now, though, she knew Daphne did not follow the Slytherin stereotype of being, frankly, evil.
The girls supported each other whenever possible. Whether it was in third-year when Hermione, Harry, and Ron had fallen out – leaving Daphne to comfort her and tell her she was right to do what she did. Or when Daphne had been given an ultimatum by her parents to decide on a betrothal before she was seventeen or be disowned entirely – leaving her to run straight to Hermione's home and sob into her shoulder the very second the girl opened the door.
Daphne continued, blue eyes searching brown, "But you do know that this is the most prestigious magical school in the world right? That every magical person dreams of going there?"
"I know," Hermione replied simply.
Instantly, Daphne's appearance transformed in outrage. Her beautiful face twisted in irritation with the girl in front of her. The blonde quickly leaned across and smacked Hermione upside the head and yelled, "Why the hell are you still at Hogwarts then, you idiot?"
Hermione groaned in pain as she rubbed the back of her head where she was hit.
Daphne remained brutal, "This isn't something to big up your pride, Hermione. This is a chance of a lifetime and you, apparently, keep passing it up like its nothing!"
"I have a very good reason why I'm not accepting, Daphne," Hermione mumbled grumpily.
Daphne sat back in her place behind her work and scrutinised Hermione, trying to think of the reason the studious girl could refuse the opportunities the Druid Institute almost guaranteed to give her. It did not take long for Daphne to figure it out.
There were many aspects of Hermione Jean Granger that Daphne respected – amongst the little few things that Daphne inevitably did not like as much. Her intelligence went undisputed in Daphne's mind – mostly due to Daphne always being beaten by her in terms of their class grades and the way she won most of the debates they had because of the way she used her knowledge to come up with logical arguments, swinging the discussion to her favour nearly every time.
Other qualities such as Hermione's bravery and loyalty were also no-brainers for Daphne. Courage was not something she had been surprised to see in someone from the Gryffindor House – neither was loyalty if she really thought about it – but Hermione gave the Slytherin girl a whole new meaning to both of those words.
Daphne could never understand why Hermione had continued to insist upon meeting in the library as they usually did every other day while they were at Hogwarts, even after she had been forgiven by her friends and no longer needed Daphne to give her company. Even through the rising tensions between both of their rival houses, and through the ongoing threat of losing her best friends – notorious for their flat-out feud with some members of the Slytherin house – on grounds of betrayal. Hermione refused to budge even when Daphne had told her she would understand.
It was only past that point that Daphne had become truthful to herself. Hermione was her best friend – no doubt about it. She was the only one who really knew who Daphne was, the only one with whom Daphne could be truly honest and open with. Daphne had let the last of her walls fall down in front of Hermione who did not even flinch as she saw every single nook and cranny of the ice-queen of Slytherin. Hermione remained firm as Daphne spoke of her childhood as a pureblood – of how she had, at one point, wished she had no parents if that had meant she could be free of their traditional pureblood views and the lack of love they shared with her or her sister.
Daphne's resolve was shattered and she had cried for the years of facades she had to carry out with her mother and father, pretending to be a loving daughter with doting parents – the perfect pure-blooded family. She had been further saddened by the fact that her own house, people she should have been able to be open with, would turn on her in a second if Daphne ever let slip the true nature of the Greengrass family. They would make her the front of all pure-blood gossip – which, to Daphne's parents, simply would not do.
It was in third-year that, for the first time in her life, Daphne felt true emotions. Hermione had listened to everything Daphne had told her about her home life in silence, watching as reserved tears fell down the cheeks of the blonde girl, and had carefully walked around the large table they usually sat on in the library to sit right next to her. Hermione first held her hand and then, once Daphne had glanced up at her, leaned across to hold her in the very first genuine embrace she could ever remember being held in.
She was invited over to the Granger's for the summer holidays that followed, where she had experienced what a family that loved each other was like. It was at that time that Hermione had also opened up about her own life and revealed the sadness that she hid so well, from what had happened in her past.
In short, Hermione's friendship was a treasure – her loyalty unwavering.
Daphne finally spoke, "It's Potter, isn't it? You feel like you can't leave him."
Brown eyes seemed shocked but it took a moment for Hermione to gather herself before she shook her head and gave Daphne a significant look, "It's not just Harry," and after a few beats, she asked, "How did you know?"
"You're easy to read, Gryffindor." Daphne grinned.
Hermione let out a small laugh and said, "Or perhaps you know me too well, Slytherin."
"That too," Daphne smirked, "What's going on with Potter then? Have you heard from him?"
Hermione rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "No. Dumbledore didn't want me or Ron contacting Harry."
Daphne gave Hermione a look as though she said something strange. "He wants Potter to be alone right after he saw someone die?"
Hermione hummed in agreement. "I know. I wrote Harry twice anyway, but neither letter got a reply. I don't think Harry feels up to writing after what happened."
The blonde across from her rolled her eyes. "Or the letters were intercepted. Do you really think Dumbledore would tell you to not write and not have any precautions in place?"
"That could also be a possibility," Hermione admitted. She leaned back onto her hands from where she still sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor and considered whether Dumbledore could go so far to keep Harry isolated, not being able to think of a single reason he could have for doing so.
The girls were startled from the sudden pecking that came from the window. Looking over, they saw that a brown owl with a letter wrapped on one of its legs was trying rather hard to get inside. Hermione stood and stepped over to the window, pulling on the latch and sliding it upwards. The owl instantly flew into the room and landed on the perch Hermione had put up for Harry's owl, Hedwig, who usually got quite exhausted after the flight she took to Hermione's home.
"From Potter?" Daphne asked.
Hermione opened up her desk drawer and pulled out some owl treats from inside. "No, I think it's from the Druids – I hadn't received this year's offer yet."
Daphne raised an eyebrow and smiled in amusement. "This year's offer? A bit cocky aren't we?"
Hermione scowled. "Shut up. You know what I meant."
She pulled the letter off of the owl's leg and offered it the treats. Daphne laughed while Hermione walked over to her side and sat down next to her, unrolling the parchment as she sat.
The familiar sigil of a phoenix and a unicorn within a ring of twisting vines greeted Hermione as she began to read.
Dear Miss. Granger,
It is to my knowledge that you have been rejecting many of the proposals that the Druid Institute have been making to you. As the Headmaster of the Institution and also the Lord Commander of the Union of Druids, I am personally writing to you to enlighten you of the many opportunities we can offer.
As you are most probably aware, we are a large order that has become one of the main defences against world war. This reputation does not go without its advantages.
To any student that graces that our halls, we offer a range of courses from which you will be permitted to pick eleven (though the compulsory core subjects that you are now studying at Hogwarts will have to become seven of those you will be taking should you transfer) After your studies, we will be able to aid you into any line of work of your choosing through the many connections we have kept in our centuries of world affairs. However, this is only what we usually offer all of our students.
We, as an organization, believe that you are capable of many great things, Miss. Granger. Your remarkable talents in knowledgeability, as well as your practical skills in magic, have been two of the many reasons the Union has been keeping track of you. We want to give you a much larger proposition.
Due to your firm decision to not attend the Druid Institute – which we shall reluctantly accept after this year – I offer you a place as Knight Commander on the Druid Union itself. You shall receive a formal job offer in your final year at Hogwarts.
I cannot stress to you how rarely we believe anyone to deserve such an honour, Miss. Granger. Yet, I assure you that it is not given to you with any hint of regret – it had meant to be given to you once you had graduated from our own school anyway.
I hope to be working alongside you one day.
Sincerely,
Edwin Desmond
(Lord Commander of the Union of Druids, Headmaster of the Druid Institution)
"Well, trust you to have your future sorted when you haven't even done your OWL's." Daphne joked.
Hermione could not come up with a clever reply, the shock of receiving such a proposition had not worn off just yet.
The Lord Commander did not need to specify what an honour it was to receive a place of work within the Union of Druids, Hermione knew it as soon as she read it. To think that the most esteemed magic-based organisation in the world believed her to be worthy gave Hermione a surge of pride and fear she had never felt before.
It was with the thought of it being the best job offer she would ever receive that Hermione decided that she would not let it go to waste. She will be a Knight of the Druid Union once she graduated from Hogwarts.
The sudden light slap on her face from Daphne brought Hermione out from her reverie.
"Do you really have to be this violent?" Hermione asked, her eyes twinkled with happiness and a hope for the future.
"I don't know. I learned it from you." Daphne said pointedly.
Hermione placed a clean parchment in front of herself and reached for Daphne's quill, beginning to pen a reply to Lord Commander Desmond. "I never knew Slytherins were capable of picking up bad habits," Hermione said sarcastically.
"Watch it, you."
-o0o0o0o-
A few days had passed and Daphne had gone back to her home after she spent a week with the Grangers, neglecting to tell her parents which friend's house she was staying in – not that they had noticed.
Hermione had been thinking about what Daphne had claimed about Dumbledore intercepting Harry's letters. It was very plausible as Hermione knew that Harry was not the kind of person to completely ignore letters from his friends, especially when living with those horrid relatives of his – but now Hermione was left with the dilemma of how to contact Harry.
She had instantly come up with an idea but was hesitant to carry it out as Dumbledore would probably find out about what she did and berate her for not following his direct orders. Hermione soon realised that she was too worried for her best friend's mental welfare to listen to an old man who had not even given any reason for Harry's isolation.
With these thoughts, Hermione had gotten up the next day, had breakfast, and told her parents she would probably be back sometime in the evening – ignoring their teasing remarks about making sure to not become pregnant too young like her mother.
As she stepped on the edge of the curb, Hermione stuck her wand out to call for the Knight Bus. She did not expect it to be a pleasant journey, due to the bus being known for its rocky nature, but considered it would be worth the speed it took to get to her destination – compared to a normal muggle bus. Hermione and Daphne had used the method of transportation quite often in the last two summers they had spent together.
It took about a minute before Hermione heard the raucous approach of the bus. The purple triple-decker nearly crashed into several of the cars that were parked on the side of the road before it stopped right in front of her.
Stanley Shunpike, the conductor of the Knight Bus, looked pleased to see her. "'Ermione! Nice seein' ya again." he grinned with crooked teeth, his cockney accent as thick as ever.
"Hello, Stan." Hermione smiled pleasantly. "What are you doing here? I thought you only work nights."
The conductor rolled his eyes as he motioned for Hermione to step in. "I do but Jamie got sick, di'nt he? I had to take over for 'im. Where are ya headed?"
"Surrey, please. Privet Drive if you can." Hermione replied.
Stan looked to be doing calculations in his head. "That'll be thirteen sickles."
Hermione pulled open her shoulder bag and took out her coin purse. She counted out thirteen sickles before handing them to the conductor who gladly accepted them.
"Take a seat, 'ermione. Don't need ya bumpin' your head like last time." he laughed, "Take it away, Ern!"
Hermione barely had time to make herself somewhat comfortable in her seat before her head was jerked hard to the side and the bus began to twist and turn around the streets of London.
Fifteen minutes and several spells of nausea later, Stan announced their arrival. "Here we go – Privet Drive, Surrey."
Hermione shook her head to gain her bearings before standing up on shaky legs. "Thank you, Stan. I'll probably be calling again to get back home."
"Just stick ya wand out when you need us." Stan tipped his hat at her as she stepped off. The moment she stepped off, the bus quickly rushed off to its next destination.
The brunette finally had the chance to look around at the street Harry lived on. She observed the silent road and the lack of children playing out in the summer sun and came to the conclusion that this might just have been the dullest street in England. Looking at the house that was directly behind where she was dropped off at the curb, Hermione saw that she was at 18 Privet Drive.
She began to walk down the street, taking care to keep track of the house numbers as she passed them but thankfully, she had begun to notice a familiar head of unruly black hair in the distance.
Quickening her pace in gladness to see her friend, Hermione reached 4 Privet Drive within thirty seconds of spotting Harry. As she had not announced herself yet, Hermione was able to see that Harry seemed to be doing some gardening – chores from the Dursley's most likely – and was trimming the bushes to the side of the front garden. He was faced away from her so he had not spotted her yet.
He appeared to be having some trouble with one particular branch which refused to be clipped off. In his insistence to get it, Harry had cut his elbow on one of the thorns in the rose bush right beside him.
"Bloody hell," he grumbled.
Hermione could not hold back her amusement any longer as she snickered – to his surprise.
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed in shock.
"Would you like some help with that?" Hermione grinned and pointedly looked at the branch that he still was not able to get.
"Wha – how – what are you doing here?" he asked while placing down the clippers in his hand, taking off his gloves, and walking to the front gate where Hermione was currently stood.
"I came to see you, of course." Hermione rolled her eyes and hugged him.
Harry's astonishment soon gave way to slight irritation. "You and Ron didn't reply to my letters." his eyes narrowed and he stepped away from the embrace.
Hermione gave her best male friend a look of apology. If Harry had written her and Ron letters that they did not receive and Harry had most obviously not received her letters, they were definitely intercepted. "I should have come earlier but I didn't know if it was true. I didn't get any letters you sent me, Harry. I think they, and the ones I sent you, were intercepted."
"You sent me letters? Intercepted – who would do that?" Harry asked suspiciously with a disbelieving tone in his voice that irked Hermione but she knew better than to start a row in front of the house where Harry's relatives resided.
"Dumbledore told me and Ron not to contact you over the summer," when Harry looked ready to interrupt, Hermione raised a hand to stop him and carried on speaking, "I don't know why he asked us to do that but I sent you two letters, both of which I'm guessing you didn't receive."
Harry shook his head in answer, looking more confused as the seconds ticked by.
"Dumbledore's most likely been the one intercepting owls so you're kept in the dark about everything that's going on – the point of which, I do not understand so I didn't agree with and now I'm here." Hermione spread her arms out and smiled.
After a moment Harry's suspicion melted from his face. "What's been going on in the magical world then?" he enquired as he motioned for Hermione to sit down on the porch before putting his gloves back on to finish his chores.
Hermione sat on the porch steps and looked around. "Wait – won't the Dursley's start a witch hunt if they saw me here?" The amount of stories Harry had told her and Ron were always large indications of how much his 'family' hated wizardry.
"Nah – Uncle Vernon's working and Aunt Petunia went to her friend's house. Dudley's probably at the park with his gang and won't be back till late." Harry shrugged.
Hermione nodded in understanding. "Well then, where to start? Have you been reading any of the Daily Prophet lately?"
"Yeah, a bit. Nothing about Voldemort, though. I'm guessing Fudge is still denying it."
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "Denying is a soft word when it comes from the Ministry, Harry. Do you know what the Prophet's been saying about you and Dumbledore?"
Harry shook his head. "I've only skimmed the headlines looking for Voldemort's name."
She sighed. "The Prophet has been claiming that you both have been lying about the dark lord's return."
The black haired boy rose up in fury, shouting, "But it's true, Hermione! You know it's true! I saw him come back, I saw him kill –" he hesitated, though his emerald eyes were still lit with anger.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Calm down. They don't have the evidence, Harry. Without that, they're free to believe anything they want to believe."
He narrowed his eyes. "You sound like you're on their side," he said harshly.
"For Merlin's sake!" Hermione was becoming irritated, "Is that why I disregarded Dumbledore's orders and came here? Is that why I'm the only one that's letting you know about all of this? I'll gladly leave right now if you actually believe what you just said, Harry." she hissed.
Harry took a deep calming breath before he fully turned back from the bushes to face Hermione. "I'm sorry, 'Mione," he ran a hand through his hair, "It's just been frustrating, okay."
Hermione blew out a breath of air. "It's alright. I know you've been through a lot and the truth is I know most of it isn't something I can ever fully understand no matter how much I try, but do remember there's no other side I could be on except yours."
He nodded sincerely. "I know – thank you." Harry paused for a moment before asking, "How can we prove that Voldemort's back, though?"
"I honestly don't have a clue. I imagine Dumbledore's got some sort of grand plan that he's been keeping from all of us," she remarked.
"You reckon?" Harry said hopefully.
Hermione shrugged unsurely. "I can't be sure but he knows that He-Who- . . . Voldemort – can't be stopped without the Ministry."
Harry felt a surge of pride go through him at hearing his best friend say the name of the dark lord out loud. "We just wait for Dumbledore then?"
"We'll have to. There isn't much else we can do."
Hermione stayed on the porch for an hour before Harry finished up his chores. She had taken him up on his offer to go on a walk and so they had spent the next three hours traipsing around the town talking about anything and everything until they had finally sat down on the swings in the local park.
There was a look of confusion on Harry's face when she had decided to tell him about the offers she had been receiving from the Union of Druids – omitting the truth about why she had been refusing them. Hermione had to spend about thirty minutes explaining what the Druids were to Harry before he was fully able to comprehend what she had been gifted with.
"But – Hermione, that's amazing!" he said, a look of genuine happiness for her showing in his face – unknowingly echoing the one from Daphne last week.
Hermione laughed joyously. "I know," she breathed, "I just – I don't understand why they would be so . . . eager to have me there."
"Your brilliant, that's why!" Harry declared, loudly. He shook his head at her as he laughed. "You need to stop being so sceptical, Hermione. The Druids would be lucky to have you."
"You didn't even know who they were until I told you." Hermione snorted, kicking her feet slightly to sway back and forth on her swing.
Harry waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "That doesn't matter. Any place that employs you would be lucky, no matter who they are."
Hermione smiled. "Thanks for saying that, Harry. It's the same for you, you know."
"Only because of this," Harry pushed his bangs aside and indicated his scar, "if this wasn't there, no one would care."
The brunette girl stopped her movements on the swing. "You know that's not true. You're talented, Harry," she rolled her eyes when Harry shot her a look of disbelief, "Do I need to remind you of who can do a corporeal Patronus between the both of us?"
Harry objected, "One charm, Hermione! That's one charm."
"A charm that most people that have actually graduated from Hogwarts can't even manage to do. Besides, you've also faced Voldemort three times now – and survived. You've already got more experience than most wizards would get in their whole lifespan."
Harry regarded Hermione with shock from the passion in her voice.
"Your scar has nothing to do with what you've survived after the night you got it." she said, confidently.
A few moments passed before Harry decided to say, "I don't think I've ever told you how glad I am that you're my friend, Hermione."
Her attention quickly turned to the boy next to her as she gave him a look of bewilderment. "What's brought this on?"
He smiled sheepishly and said, "I've never thanked you, is all."
Hermione shook her head in amusement, "You don't need to."
"Of course I do. You've stuck by me through everything," Harry said and stopped Hermione from interrupting as he knew what she would try to say, "What happened in third-year was just because I was too wrapped up in myself to see you were trying to make sure I safe – and I was the one that decided not to talk to you for that time."
"I wasn't fair, Harry. I should have told you before going to McGonagall." Hermione insisted.
"Maybe you should have," Harry allowed, "I've thought about it, though. That whole situation only happened because we assumed things about each other. I hope that now you won't go behind my back like that again. You can trust that I'll at least try and understand your reasoning, Hermione."
She was struck by the sincerity in Harry's voice. Hermione had always regretted what happened in third-year. It was true that she had assumed Harry would not have been willing to give up his Firebolt for inspection – that is why she had gone straight to McGonagall before he had the chance to fly on the broom.
Reaching into the bag she had placed by the side of the swing she was still on, she took out two bottles of water which she had bought in one of the corner shops herself and Harry had passed on the way to the park. Hermione offered one bottle to Harry who, probably being parched from the summer heat, accepted it gratefully while she uncapped her own.
Hermione finally spoke, lifting her bottle up to Harry in a toast, "To trust then."
Harry raised his own bottle and tapped it to hers, giving a single nod. "Trust."
-o0o0o0o-
A thousand miles away, the now sixteen-year-old Prince Nicholas paced back and forth in frustration.
"How can I know he is trustworthy of this information, Ragnarok?" he asked.
Ragnarok snarled, "Dumbledore is not trustworthy in the slightest. He is necessary if we want to reach Potter, however. The only way we can do that is to let him know we are important in the coming war."
Edwin Desmond spoke from his place in the corner. "I have already arranged a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix next week. The International Confederation of Wizards are currently debating Dumbledore's dismissal and I am to inform him of their verdict. You can accompany me under the pretence of being my apprentice, Your Highness," he suggested.
Nicholas took a deep breath. "I would appreciate that, Lord Desmond. Nevertheless, I would not like Dumbledore to believe I am reliant on him for any kind of political favour."
"You are not required to inform him of all of your plans, Nicholas," Ragnarok said meaningfully.
He nodded. "I concur, he does not need to know everything," Nicholas narrowed his eyes in contemplation, "We know that our prophecy will most likely loosen his tongue about the wizarding prophecy made about Potter but that would mean letting him know that there is an heir to the wizarding throne – and from what I have heard about his intellect, he will not take long before finding out that I am the Prince. We will have to adjust our plans to accommodate for that problem."
"That will not be too hard, Your Highness," Desmond said, assuredly.
"What of –" The Prince hesitated, "Have you gotten a response from Miss. Granger."
As the years flew and Nicholas grew older, he had become more aware of what having a soul mate entailed. Lord Commander Desmond and Lady Jane Desmond had sat him down only two years ago and had informed him of the different feelings he may begin to have as he aged, all of which made him grow quite embarrassed but he had understood completely why they had felt it was their responsibility.
King Ragnarok – although a caring father figure for Nicholas – was not biologically capable of understanding why the Prince would need a few hours alone to slump moodily into his bed and grumble about his awful life. The Desmond's were the only people who were human and close enough to the Prince for him to not run away from the revelations he would be given by them.
When he was told of the depths in which relationships could be taken to and of the implications that these depths were substantially more significant when a soul bond came into the question, Nicholas was understandably horrified. The Lord Commander – after figuring out that Nicholas felt fear for his soul mate – had to very quickly state that from what the Druids were able to research, the bond would not force either party to carry out acts that they did not consent to.
Over the following years, Desmond often gave Nicholas updates about the girl he had believed to be the Lioness of the prophecy. Hermione Granger had been performing extremely well academically – her power was something that was not ignored by even Dumbledore who had written to the Druid Institute, claiming her to be a 'very powerful witch with great ability,' commending her as a wonderful student to have in any schooling environment.
Ragnarok had, however, remained to be a steady force of reasoning. He had maintained that Granger was not yet confirmed as the Lioness. It was with this logic that Nicholas had tried to remain detached from her name or any feelings that came along with the thought of her.
That being said, Nicholas's heart subconsciously began to beat faster and a concealed piece of his soul shivered in delight from mentioning her whole. The piece had intimately spent the first years of her existence slumbering within the boy, merging herself with him and learning everything she could, and becoming familiar with the warmth of his soul that embraced her so well. Now, she had awoken and she knew that the time was coming closer in which she would be reunited with her mortal.
Desmond grinned as he always did when Nicholas mentioned the girl. "She indeed did reply," he said as he reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a single folded piece of parchment, offering it to Nicholas.
The Prince accepted the letter with a level of control he did not believe he was able to achieve when he could see Desmond exchanging knowing looks with Ragnarok in the corner of his eye.
Unfolding the parchment, Nicholas was greeted by immaculate cursive writing. He had turned away from the two others in the room and read the letter through. "She has accepted to compromise and join the Union after graduation," he stated as he turned back to his advisors.
Desmond hummed in amusement. "Many of us were just thankful that she had finally agreed to something. We were beginning to think Granger was too stubborn to accept anything."
Ragnarok abruptly spread his mouth in a mischievous smile that showed all of his razor-like teeth. "Caressing the parchment will not bring the girl any closer, Your Highness."
Nicholas was suddenly aware that he was indeed unintentionally stroking the letter with his thumb and flushed a bright red among the laughs of the men in front of him.
The sixteen years that the foreign piece in his soul had lived without her Other had been lonely, no matter the warmth and love she felt inside of his, her soul mate's, heart. She reached out to anything that belonged to her human with an utmost desperation and felt sorrow and hope along with a sense of belonging like no other.
Soon the connection would be solidified – her assignment would be complete – and she would be able to go home.
A/N: That's the first chapter! Thank you to those of you that reviewed, your positive feedback was very welcome :) I also appreciate you pitching in your ideas for what you want to see in this story.
Hermione's background is something I really want to emphasise on in the course of this tale. She wasn't given much of a past in Canon - understandable as the focuses of the HP books were on the wizarding world and Harry Potter's involvement in it - but here, I want you to know my Hermione's heartbreak. I want you to know what drives her to drink up as much knowledge as she can. I want her to be more than just Harry's sidekick.
Hopefully, I'll be able to do her justice.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas; may your woes fade with the rising sun of Christmas Day, and may the most broken of you find the strength to mend in the New Year.
-Guardian
